The Games
by Detective-Inspector-Me
Summary: What if the rebellion had failed? What is Snow had won? After the rebellion, Katniss returns to District 12 and slips back into her old life without hunting, and without the treat of having to go back to the arena. But will Snow let her off that easily?
1. Chapter 1

_He's going to try to break you. _This is the sentence I've heard from Haymitch everyday since the rebellion was crushed.

It's been almost six months since the districts were re-established and the Capitol began to reinstate its rule. Back then, I remember thinking _he's going to kill me._ I'd even resigned myself to the fact that my death would be graphic and poetic at the hands of Snow. I a waited the day with something close to anticipation, the day Snow would pull me from my bed or kidnap me at breakfast, and whisk me away to be chopped up_._ But the day never came.

Instead, he took Peeta back, and caused the death of the only people in the world I'd consider friends; Finnick, Boggs, even my mother and Prim all died in the attack that obliterated 13.

I remember the day well. I had told everyone that I needed time, space and home if I was ever going to be able to continue being the Mockingjay. Coin had given permission for me to return to 12 for the day with Haymitch and Gale. We had spent the morning out in the woods and the afternoon in the Victors Village. It wasn't a great day, but it was the best I'd had in a long time.

Then we heard them. Hovercrafts passed over our heads, meaning they could only be headed for one place… 13. We climbed back into the hovercraft and watched from a distance as the ships rained missiles on the land which housed our loved ones.

This time they were nuclear. This time they worked. We sat in silence for a long time after they had hit, knowing all our families were dead.

After what must have been minutes, but felt like decades, I felt a small hand on my arm. I turned round and saw Posy, Gales youngest sister, standing beside me her eyes filled with tears.

'Posy!' I cried, and leaned down to embrace the tiny girl in a hug. 'How did you get here?' I asked pulling away from her to see her face.

'I hid in the cargo deck, I wanted go home.'

By this point, Gale had wrapped Posy in a tight hug and lifted her off the ground, gently hushing her as she let the tears fall.

'Everyone else is gone.' She said, with wisdom that far exceeded her age.

'Yes sweetie,' Gale replied, 'it's just you and me.'

That seems so long ago, like a distant memory that now seems almost dreamlike. Gale, Haymitch, Posy and I all returned to 12 (as some of the only residents still alive) and were instrumental in the clean up of the Seam. Soon, the Capitol sent new people some rich, some poor. Everyone began slotting into society and things returned to the bizarre normality I'd come to accept.

There were, of course, a few key differences:

The fence was now electrified 24/7 and so hunting was no longer an option.

The Peacekeepers were all highly trained, and handed out whippings almost hourly.

The Games changed.

The games were redesigned after the rebellion, and Haymitch informs me that I have myself to thank for it.

As always, a tribute between the ages of 12 and 18 is selected, however anyone to the age of 30 can volunteer. As always there is one girl and one boy, however now they are never presented as a unit. From stage one, everything is separate.

The day of the Reaping comes and my stomach is in knots for some inexplicable reason. Gale and I are in the audience this time, but Posy has turned 12 and is standing at the front of the crowd with her hair tied in pigtails.

My eyes turn to the stage as I see Haymitch enter. Since there's still no black market active in 12, he's remained sober and so this time he looks miserable taking his seat on the stage.

Even though my Games are over, he's still saving me. He knows I can't train children to fight, and so he once again took on the burden alone.

A new announcer teeters onto the stage in her powdered wig and gigantic heels and in an upbeat tone states that she's going to 'mix it up' and start with the boys. She says a name that I can't quite make out with her thick Captiol accent, and I see a small boy ascend to the stage.

Then she moves to the second bowl, and pulls out another piece of paper. This time I hear the name, and know it was meant to hurt me.

'Posy Hawthorne.'

Beside me a choked scream erupts from Gale and I quickly turn to quiet him before he's whipped for interrupting proceedings.

'It's okay.' I whisper as I grip his arms with my hands and look him in the eye.

'How?' he asks, desperation in his eyes as they dart from me to Posy's small form as she ascends the steps.

'I promise.' I say, and then turn away from him.

At once he realises my intentions and clamps a hand on my wrist.

'No Katniss, you can't.'

'I have to.' I respond, and in the same breath yell, 'I volunteer!'

The crowd splits and I move forward as Posy descends the steps and runs towards me.

'Katniss!' she says as she locks her arms around my neck, 'You can't do this.'

'I have to sweetie, promise you'll take care of Gale for me.' I whisper,

'I promise.'

Then she's pulled off me and I make my way to the stage.


	2. Chapter 2

This time there are no goodbyes, and I'm not overly surprised. When we make it to the train, I go straight to my room and lay on the bed. I want to cry, but I'm too distressed to allow the tears to form.

I hear a knock at the door, but ignore it. Another knock. Then another.

'Go away!' I yell angrily.

'Let me in, sweetheart.' I don't think I've ever heard Haymitch's voice this soft before and so I open the door to let him in. However, the sight of him seems to trigger the tears and I collapse onto him. He stops me from falling and scoops me up with one hand on my back and the other beneath my knees, carrying me back to the bed. He lays me down, and goes to close the door.

When he's back he lies beside me as I shake, before realising his current technique is having no effect so he encases me in his strong arms. I continue to cry until I've soaked his shirt and dried my eyes.

'I'm so proud of you.' He says, which makes me shake again, now that tears are not an option.

The following morning, I wake up still encased in Haymitch's arms. He's still asleep and so I gently pry myself away from him and head for the shower. I choose a gentle cycle with bubbles and the scent of lavender and dress myself in a simple blue jumpsuit, which is made of an unbelievably comfortable material.

When I emerge back into the room, Haymitch is awake and sitting on the bed waiting.

'How you feeling?' he asks,

'Been better.' I say honestly.

He pats the bed beside him and I sit.

'This is going to be tough you know.' He says, looking me in the eye.

'I know.' I tell him.

'Snow really wants you dead.'

'I know.' I say again.

'And I really don't want that to happen.'

'I know.'

The next week flies by. The parade, the interview, the training, everything passes in a blur and soon I'm back in the penthouse listening to the chants of the crowds outside.

I lay on the bed listening for a long time thinking of how Snow could get me. A lethal dose of Tracker Jacker venom. Some sort of mutt. Jabberjays. Fire. Water. Fog. Every ounce of pain he has inflicted on me comes crashing back and I begin to shake again.

I must scream, because Haymitch bursts through the door and rushes to me, folding me in his arms again, and stroking my hair. Although the gesture is obviously unnatural for him, and the movements are jerky, knowing he's there calms me and soon I feel myself drift off the sleep.

The next morning Haymitch wakes me three hours before I'm due at the arena, I shower and eat as big a breakfast as I can stomach. Then I dress and begin pacing in the lounge of the penthouse. Soon, Haymitch appears again fully dressed for his interviews as mentor. I never could tell with the drinking, but now seeing him all done up, I see the glimpse of the boy he was before his own Games. I internally curse Snow and every President for taking away that innocence.

Haymitch comes and stands beside me until our escort appears she takes us to the elevator and I can tell at that moment we both miss Effie.

Soon we're at the hovercraft and we have to say our goodbyes, then I'm in the hands of my incompetent stylist before I'm thrust back into an arena.

I turn to Haymitch and fake a smile. He does the same (we've gotten good at it.). He hugs me and tells me to stay alive. Then I walk away, but he catches my wrist.

'Katniss,' he says abruptly, 'I need you to win.'

'Why?' I asked, knowing he cares for me, but confused as to why I'm so special.

'I just… need you to promise me you'll win.'

I hear the clop of Peacekeepers behind me and tell him 'I promise.' Then give him another quick hug and hurry off to the hovercraft.


	3. Chapter 3

Haymitch's actions have left me startled and so I barely feel it when the tracker is injected into my arm. I look around the hovercraft and see all the kids sitting around me. I think back to Haymitch and wonder why he wants me to kill all these children.

My eyes linger for a moment on the career pack. They were clearly thrown by the rebellion as these tributes don't have that highly trained look they had in previous years. Now, they just look like a group of scared kids… which I suppose is fitting.

When I reach the tunnels beneath the arena, my new stylist is full of cheer and so I zone out pretty quickly, running through my strategy.

_'Look tough.' _I hear Haymitch say. _'You need to look like a victor, and the kids won't come near you. This time, get the bow. Use it. End this thing quickly Katniss, or Snow will end you.'_

A few moments later I feel myself being pulled up the tube into the arena. This arena was clearly thought up hastily as the usual detail isn't quite as sharp. Instead of a sharp and obvious treeline, trees are scattered about the arena leading the whole way to the Cornucopia. The podiums are dispersed throughout the foliage and so I can only see a fraction of the tributes.

_Get a bow, _I think. _Then get a tree. Then kill anything that moves._

3…2…1…Go.

I start off running, dodging trees and tributes until I'm in the mouth of the Cornucopia, I find a tree where I can view the mouth and begin to climb. Once I'm properly positioned in a way that allows me to use the tree for cover, I wait.

Why waste arrows killing people I don't need too. I wait until the cannons sound and I count 14. That's about normal for the Games.

I load my bow and wait for the careers, when they come, I send two arrows from the same bow and kill the two from District 1 instantly. Then, District 2 spots me and so I take refuge behind my tree before taking out the boy. The girl escapes into the woods with a boy from 4, I assume the girl from 4 is dead, or she'd be there too.

I decide to stay in the tree, in case anyone comes back, leaving me the perfect opportunity.

I climb down from my tree and retrieve my arrows, before ascending back into the cover of the leaves.

It takes only three days for the Games to be down to the final two.

I haven't watched the images of the fallen, and so I don't know who's gone. But I don't care, either way I'm going to have to kill a kid.

I had to change tactic on the second day, and begin searching for the kid myself. There's no one left to do my dirty work for me.

I stop short when I see him by the river that runs behind the Cornucopia. Sitting as he is now, I see Peeta. His blonde hair, strong arms and delicate hands. I feel my heart rate increase, before I realise it isn't him. It's the kid that came from District 12 with me. This must be of Snow's doing. His way of trying to unhinge me. It worked.

I retreat back into the trees and hear my breathing become louder as I remember Peeta and how he was taken. Through my hyperventilating, I make out the sound of a parachute and look around before seeing it perched on the branch beside me. I reach out, and open it. Inside is a lone cupcake, beautifully decorated, but not nearly as delicate as one of Peeta's. With it, is a note which reads;

_Not Real – just a poor Capitol imitation. –H_

I look to the sky and thank Haymitch before deciding to devour the cupcake before returning to the river.

Before I'm finished, a cannon sounds startling me and causing me to drop the remaining icing flowers into the dried leaves.

The fanfare sounds, and a hovercraft comes tt lift me.

I won… again.


	4. Chapter 4

That evening, Haymitch comes to see me.

'Congratulations sweetheart.'

'What happened?' I demand, 'How did that kid die?'

'He fell in.' Haymitch responds, 'the kid leaned too far into the water and got swept away in the current. He had drowned before the Capitol could do anything.'

All I can think is '_it's my fault.'_ That kid was put in the Games because he had the unfortunate physic of Peeta. He was put there for me. It's my fault he's dead. I guess I have to add him to my list.

'Alright sweetheart, I'm going to leave you to rest. If you need anything holler.'

'Haymitch!' I call as he closes the door.

'Yes?' he says as he pops his head back round the door.

'Before the Games…' I begin, not entirely sure how to word it, '…you said promise me you'll win. What did you mean?'

'I meant,' Haymitch says, pausing as if he finds himself in the same dilemma, 'that you're all I have left. They took everything from me once, and I can't have that happen again… especially now I can't turn to drink.' He adds, trying to lighten the mood, but failing miserably.

'Oh,' I say, 'I won't let that happen.' And I mean it. For the first time since the rebellion, I have a reason to live. I have a purpose, even if that purpose is Haymitch.

**Recently, I found a pile of unfinished fics on my computer and decided to upload them as is. I hope to continue all of them, but I want to know which is most popular... please review if you want me to continue this one!**


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